


A history of loyalty

by tearis



Category: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
Genre: Banter, Fighting, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M, Slow Burn, cursing, unbetaed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-06 05:43:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18382145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tearis/pseuds/tearis
Summary: Snippets between Arthur and Bill, most likely going to be continuous to eventually become a proper story, but for the moment let's just call it snippets.





	1. Sacrifices

“Do you not have better things to do then to beat the life out of the boys, my king?”

Arthur turned around slowly at Bill’s low teasing voice, the still residing anger and frustration rolling off him in waves. Bill adjusted his stance, well aware of the bad humour the king was in before he even turned to face him. He had watched the “training” session for some time and the rigid lines of Arthur’s body spoke volumes. 

If he had been there to teach the boys, he would have been lose and joyful, dodging any attacks with the ease of the skilled fighter that he was. Instead he not only dodged the attacks but landed blow after blow and not holding back. The boys in their early teenage years, looked battered and bruised and there was no sign that Arthur was done, as he kept calling them back to the mat over and over again. 

The stitches in Bill’s side pulled on his skin, when he stretched a little, testing the injury he had sustained in a sparring match a couple of days ago. It was as good as healed, so he shrugged to himself rolling his head from side to side and stepped slowly around the king onto the mat, dismissing the boys with a wave of his hand, who didn’t wait to be told twice. 

“So what has you so wound u-oof”, Bill staggered backwards from the shove Arthur had thrown at him.   
“Fair enough,” Bill adjusted his stance. “No talking so.” 

It didn’t take long for Arthur to have Bill driven back, blocking the king’s hits and kicks. Bill could feel his side twinge and was careful to protect it, but when his foot caught a crooked stone, his arms flailed to keep him upright, opening his cover and allowing Arthur to land a vicious blow to his side; unfortunately almost exactly on the cut, which burst open again under the pressure and force of the hit, leaving Bill screaming in agony and toppling to the floor, his head hitting the unforgiving stone floor in the process. 

The anger vanished from Arthur in an instance, replaced by concern, bending down over Bill immediately, “Bill, mate, you okay?” 

Bedivere was at their side seemingly out of thin air. “Goosefat, you stupid-”

Arthur looked from Bill to Bedivere and back, “Am I missing something here?” 

Bedivere in an annoyed and tense tone explained, “He got a cut in a practice duel a few days ago. It was healing well. He must have overextended it.” And with a wave to Bill’s side, “And split it back open.”

Arthur looked down, seeing the blood start to stain the shirt around where Bill was protectively pressing a hand. He looked up to Bill, who gave him a rueful grin. “Don’t flatter yourself. Your punches aren’t bad, but they are not that good.” 

Arthur huffed a laugh, slightly relieved at Bill’s unchanged attitude. His eyes narrowed though following Bill’s other hand coming up to rub the side of his head, remembering the dull thud when it had hit the floor. 

“Let’s get you to a healer. Get that cut and your head looked at.” Arthur reached out, helping Bill sit up and with Bedivere on Bill’s other side they gently lifted him up, arms over their shoulders. Bill grumbled under his breath, but went along without resistance.


	2. Recognition

“You’re a daft bastard you know that?” Arthur huffed at Bill at where he was sitting near the bed, where the healer had left Bill in with strict instructions to rest for at least two days. 

“Well, took a bit of heat off those poor boys.” Bill grinned. 

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Since when do you care if they get a good hide full?”

Bill shrugged, wincing almost simultaneously more so at the pressure in his head shifting than the pull on the wound in his side.  
“What had you so worked up anyhow?” 

Arthur’s jaw clenched and he looked away. Bill watched him silently. He could feel tiredness starting to wash over him, letting his eyelids slowly drift shut. Whenever he felt them close, he forced them back open, blinking them and trying to focus on the shine of the candles to stay awake. 

“Nothing.” Bill focused on Arthur again, who was still not looking at him. 

“Nothing?” Bill knew that a tone of disbelief would most likely get if not an answer at least a reaction from the young king and he wasn’t mistaken, Arthur finally looked back at him, a frustrated and angry glare set on his features, before throwing his hands in the air and getting up. 

“Just leave it be, Goosefat.” Bill had hoped that by now the younger man trusted him enough to speak about what ailed him. In his disappointment about the lack of trust, he averted his gaze, swallowed, before slowly nodding. If he hadn’t been in pain and tired, he might have nudged a little bit more trying to get Arthur to open up, but his tiredness had gotten the upper hand and this time he had no intention of fighting it, letting his eyes close. 

“As you wish, your majesty.” His tone was uncharacteristically blank, earning him a confused glance from Arthur, which he didn’t even notice before drifting off to sleep. Arthur stood still watching Bill’s chest rise and fall in his sleep. 

The truth was that he had just been frustrated. Nothing in particular had been the trigger, just… _just_. Arthur looked back to Bill’s now sleeping form. He pulled a face. _Just_ and his stupidity had gotten one of his best men hurt. 

_Stupid Bill. Always at the wrong place at the wrong time._ Arthur halted at his own thoughts and looked intently at Bill, who still had his eyes closed and wasn’t showing any signs of stirring. Bill seemed to end up in Arthur’s firing line more often than not lately. Arthur frowned recalling the last few weeks. Bill always seemed to pop up just at the right moment. 

Arthur groaned to himself, _Stupid, daft bastard._ Arthur glared at the sleeping man; Bill was doing it on purpose.


	3. Consequences

“Go away, Bill.” 

Goosefat’s eyebrows shot up and he looked over to Bedivere, who looked as taken aback. Arthur hadn’t even looked up at the other man.

“And why, pray tell, does King Arthur want me gone?” the smirk was evident in Bill’s voice, but Arthur wasn’t falling for it. Not this time. He would not have Bill sacrifice himself every time he was about to make a stupid decision. 

“King being the prominent word here, Goosefat. Just do as your king told you and get out.” There was no heat behind his words, but it was clear that Bill had been dismissed. 

The smirk fell from Bill’s face and he settled a serious look on Bedivere, who nodded in silent agreement of keeping an eye out for the man, who had just unceremoniously kicked Bill out of the meeting. 

Without a word, Bill simply inclined his head at Arthur, who was still not looking at him, and left the room.


	4. Confrontation

“So what have I done to no longer be trusted?”

Arthur cursed under his breath, closing his eyes from the maps he had been studying. He should have known better than to think that Bill wouldn’t seek him out sooner rather than later. He kept his back to the older man for another moment, trying to figure out how to handle this.

“Nothing,” was all that came to him in the end.

“That seems to be your favourite word as of late, _my king._ ” Bill’s voice dropped in temperature at the last words, causing Arthur to sigh and turn to face the other man at last, leaning back against the high ledge of the table.

“Just-” Arthur’s hand made a sweeping motion to thin air and his eyes flickered over Bill, between his eyes, weighing up the words in his head. When after a long time still nothing else had been said, Bill nodded slowly, lowering his gaze to the floor.

“Am I dismissed for good then?” Bill’s voice sounded hollow.

“What?!” Arthur straightened up where he had been leaning against the table behind him. Bill didn’t elaborate or repeat himself though, just quietly waiting for Bill’s decision. The younger man ran a hand over his face and sighed.

“No, Bill. You are not dismissed for good.” Arthur was annoyed, not at Bill, but himself. He had tried to keep Bill out of harm’s way and somehow managed to do more harm to their relationship, than any of his previous ignorance had. He stepped forward in hopes of getting Bill to look up, but the older man stubbornly kept his head down.

Arthur leaned down trying to catch Bill’s eyes, but the other just turned his head to the side. A huff escaped Arthur, “Look at me, Bill.” Bill closed his eyes for a moment, before reluctantly looking at Arthur. Arthur reached forward and grasped Bill’s shoulder with one of his hands.

“You are never, ever dismissed.” Arthur tried to put as much honesty and warmth into his voice as he could, trying to convey to Bill that there was no distrust. He tried to read Bill’s reaction, but to no avail, the blank mask stayed in place and all the response he got was a mute nod.

“Fucking hell, Bill, come on!” Arthur took a step back, hands and arms stretched to the sides, but there was no reaction forthcoming. Another moment of silence and Arthur couldn’t stand it, “What do I have to do to get back into your good books?”

Bill answered immediately, voice and face blank, “Nothing, my king. I am honoured to serve yo-”

“Cut the crap, Bill.” Frustration was starting to seep into Arthur’s voice and that seemed enough to finally cause a crack in Bill’s stoic demeanour.

“Tell me what I’ve don-“

Arthur cut him off as quickly as Bill had started and the annoyance was clear in the king’s voice, “I told you, nothing.”

“Bullshit!” Bill’s control had completely slipped, glaring at Arthur, willing him to tell the truth.

“It’s – ah for fuck’s sake, Bill. It’s not – I can’t just let you take the fall for everything.” The moment the words were out, Arthur regretted it. Bill had taken a tentative step back, paling almost immediately as the words sunk in. Arthur reached out an appeasing hand, “I know, yes. It took me some time to catch on, but Bill I need to make my own mistakes. I need to learn from them. I get you only have the best interest for me at heart, when you step in and you have more experience in these matters –“ Bill snorted at his last words, causing Arthur to stop and look at him enquiringly. After a moment Bill conceded, thinking it was only fair to return the honesty his king was granting him.

“I do not have more experience in these matters, Art. Bedivere is the one with the experience. I just –“ Bill swallowed, starting at Arthur for a moment, before dropping his gaze.

Arthur took a step forward, slowly closing the gap between them, before leaning in and gently prodding, “Just what?”

Bill shook his head a mirthless laugh falling from his lips. “Just trying to help I suppose.”

Arthur considered him for a long silent moment. “I’m sorry I kicked you out earlier. It’s not that I don’t trust you. I do. I just – Argh, do we really have to talk about this?” Arthur took a step back from Bill, looking at him expectantly.

“I thought the gab is your gift, my lord?!” Arthur smiled at the insult and the accompanying smirk.

Wrapping an arm around Bill’s neck, he pulled him along out of the study. “You missed a good one by the way. Those daft buggers from the north thought they could just pull a quick one on us. Bedivere was furious with them. He could have done with a helping hand from yourself.”

“Ah, now, it’s not like I help just anyone.” Bill mockingly scolded with a smirk.

“Only newbie kings that don’t know any better?” Arthur grinned back.

A moment of calming silence passes between them, before Bill murmurs a considering “Or friends”.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please be kind, it's been some time since I wrote something, only getting back to it and it has certainly been even longer since I dared publish something.


End file.
